U.S. and South Korean Ports Formalize Agreement to Advance Green Shipping Corridor

Port authorities in South Korea and the United States have signed a formal agreement to accelerate plans for a green shipping corridor connecting major trans-Pacific trade routes.

The memorandum of understanding (MoU) includes the Busan Port Authority (BPA) and Ulsan Port Authority on the South Korean side, and the Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA)—representing the Ports of Tacoma and Seattle—on the U.S. side. The agreement seeks to coordinate efforts to transition to zero- or net-zero (ZNZ) marine fuels along the routes linking the NWSA gateway with the ports of Busan and Ulsan.

According to environmental group Pacific Environment, the NWSA and its partners have spent the past three years assessing the feasibility of accelerating the shift to cleaner fuels on these trade lanes. The organization welcomed the formalization of the multi-port MoU, which is said to have originated in 2024.

“Electrifying ports and moving ships to zero emissions reduces the health risks of air pollution for portside communities and port workers. We applaud the ports’ action to protect communities and port workers from toxic pollution and climate change impacts,” said Fern Uennatornwaranggoon, Climate Campaign Ports Director at Pacific Environment.

Scope of Cooperation Under the MoU

The agreement outlines multiple areas of collaboration, including:

• Maritime decarbonization initiatives and efforts to reduce in-port emissions, with coordinated strategies to support these activities.
• Joint work on implementing the green shipping corridor between the U.S. and South Korea.
• Assessing projected demand for ZNZ fuels.
• Developing emerging supply chains for ZNZ fuels, both regionally and globally.
• Evaluating fuel storage and bunkering capacity, including future requirements, safety standards, and regulatory frameworks.
• Analyzing ZNZ fuel costs, total cost of ownership, and price gaps compared to conventional fuels.
• Advancing digitization and data-sharing processes.
• Encouraging the exchange of green practices and identifying business development opportunities.

Feasibility Study Nearing Completion

Since the collaboration was first announced, the five port partners have been developing a comprehensive feasibility study examining the commercial, technical, and financial requirements of the corridor. The study is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

The assessment for the green car-carrier corridor is led by the Maersk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping (MMMCZCS), with Wallenius Wilhelmsen serving as the primary commercial partner.

The broader feasibility study includes two additional components:

• A South Korea–focused segment, led by the Korean Register (KR), with HMM as the core commercial partner.
• A U.S.-focused segment, headed by RMI (formerly Rocky Mountain Institute) and Swire Shipping.

On the U.S. side, companies such as C2X and HIF are contributing to workstreams on green methanol production.